What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?
If you live in a smoke control area then you must buy a DEFRA exempt stove. A DEFRA exempt (or SE) stove permits you to burn wood legally in a smoke-controlled area.
The stoves are tested independently to ensure the lowest possible emissions. Stoves with this certification often feature the 'Defra approved' logo in their name or specification.
Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas
Many people believe that living in a Smoke Control Area means you can't have a stove that burns wood but this isn't the case. The majority of towns and cities are in a smoke control zone but that doesn't mean they can't use a wood burning stove. It's just that they have to burn approved fuels in their stove (usually Briquettes). The Defra-approved stove is a wood-burning stove that has been thoroughly tested to make sure that it meets certain standards in regards to the emissions it emits when burning authorised fuels. This means it can be used legally in smoke-control zones.
The Defra Logo is widely used in the industry, and a lot of stoves are marked with the SE after their names to indicate that they are smoke-free. To be SE approved the stove must meet strict emission requirements. This means that you can be confident you are purchasing the top wood stove on the market.
When you look for a wood-burning stove that is Defra exempt or has SE after its name, you'll often discover that the manufacturer has carried out things like ensuring that there are enough air intakes on the front of the stove to permit full combustion of the fuel, and that the chimney outlet size is sufficient to prevent soot build-up. This is important because it will ensure that the smoke from the stove doesn't escape through the chimney into your home.
A stove that is Defra-approved permits you to use a 5" liner that is in compliance with UK building regulations. Non-Defra-approved stoves require an 6" liner.
Stovax is proud to offer a range of Defra-approved fireplaces and stoves, as well as our Ecodesign Ready stoves which have been designed with future standards for air quality in mind. In fact, many of our Defra approved stoves are able to be used with a smoke control kit for those properties that are in a Smoke Control Area and so can be used with a range of authorised smokeless fuels including fire logs.
Approved for Smokeless Fuels
The only stove that can be installed in a smoke-control area is one that is a DEFRA approved wood burner, also referred to by the name DEFRA exempt. This stove must be used with solid fuel, which is wood, preferably well-seasoned. They are inspected by the government to ensure that they don't generate excessive levels of smoke and can be used with approved fuels (coal only).
The distinction between a stove that is DEFRA approved and one that is not approved is usually very small. Many modern stoves can easily be converted to DEFRA conforming with an approved kit supplied by the manufacturer and fitted within a matter of minutes. This is because a Defra approved stove must undergo rigorous testing and must be restricted in the amount of smoke it can produce.
To ensure that these restrictions are not violated during testing, the stove must be able to limit the combustion air supply to ensure that it does not exhaust itself of oxygen, which could cause it to smolder. This is achieved through a mechanism within the stove that allows an air pocket into the firebox during the process of combustion, which is usually hidden within the stove, and under the base of the firebox.
Stove World UK has a large selection of DEFRA approved stoves, from some of the most reputable manufacturers in the world including Stovax Arada and Burley. These are available in a vast variety of styles and designs. You can also choose from an impressive variety of Ecodesign ready stoves that are designed to meet future air quality requirements.
Smoke Control Zones are located predominantly in large towns and cities. You can check the website of your local authority to determine whether you reside in one of these. It is crucial to buy an approved DEFRA stove if you reside in a smoke-controlled zone. This will allow you to avoid being fined by the local authority. If you burn coal or any other solid fuels using a non approved stove, you may be fined PS300.
Approved for Wood
A DEFRA approved stove, also called a smoke-free wood stove is an appliance which can be used to burn wood in a Smoke Control Area. The stove will bear the Defra approved logo or an 'SE' in its name meaning it is able to be used in smoke-controlled areas, when burning approved fuels only, in this case wood.
A lot of older wood stoves emit huge amounts of particulate matter. These can cause or worsen asthma attacks, respiratory issues and heart issues. It is therefore important to buy a wood stove that is in compliance with strict emission standards set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency. Look for an "EPA 2020 Certified" label, which signifies that the stove meets the emission limits currently in place.
If you purchase a stove that isn't EPA certified and you reside in a smoke control area, you will need to have it recertified before you can use it. It's costly and time-consuming, but the law requires it. Additionally, homeowners who sell their home with an uncertified wood stove could be subject to clean air tax credits and fines.
Modern stoves can be upgraded to become Defra approved using an adjustment kit or a kit provided by the installer. This is due to the primary difference between the DEFRA approved stove and those that aren't is the combustion air management system which controls how much air passes through the stove during normal operation. Modifications are typically applied to the base or underside of the firebox.
Some manufacturers produce two versions of their wood stoves one that is Defra approved and the other that is not. This is because the process of placing a stove through stringent Defra tests can be very costly in order to recover some of this expense they'll offer the non-approved version at a lower cost. The DEFRA approved version will have had the combustion air modification included in the testing procedure.
Approved fireplacesandstove to the Clean Air Acts, residential homes could burn any fuel they wanted, leading to large amounts of smoke emissions. This caused health problems. To prevent this Defra created Smoke Control Areas which meant that residential homes couldn't produce any smoke from their wood burners or multifuel stoves unless the appliance was Defra approved for burning only approved fuels like manufactured smokeless coals and anthracite.
Defra approved stoves, also known as SE (Smoke Exempt) Stoves, have undergone stringent testing to prove that they can cleanly burn approved fuels in a Smoke Control Area. The most modern combustion technology allows an indefinite amount of secondary air into the firebox. This lets the stove meet Defra regulations for Smoke Control Areas even when it is using authorised fuels such as anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals.
The Stove Yard has a large selection of Defra-approved stoves that are ideal for those who reside in a smoke-free zone and require a brand new wood burning fireplace. We have an extensive range of traditional, contemporary and inset Defra approved stoves from the most reputable manufacturers like Stovax, Arada, Burley and AGA.
The good part is that there's really a difference in appearance between a Defra approved woodburning stove and one that isn't, but the Defra approved models do have various features that are designed to ensure they burn cleaner. They typically have a slightly different grate and air vents as well as on gas models they might have a slightly larger flue outlet.
A Defra Approved Stove will almost always have a 5" flue outlet (125mm). This means that you can choose a smaller stainless steel twin wall flexible liner, which is less expensive than a 6" (150mm). This is a great option when you install an approved wood burning stove from Defra in an older or non-standard chimney stack. It saves money on replacing a bigger diameter chimney liner.